Eastern Kentucky University Magazine, Fall/Winter 2007

The EASTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE

FALL/WINTER ISSUE 2007

The Boyers

Making it Possible

T

hey’re not Eastern Kentucky University alumni. They’re not even natives of the Eastern Kentucky region. However, Charles and Jane Boyer share a conviction that every child deserves the best quality education available, regardless of their financial circumstances. That’s where the couple’s relationship with EKU begins.

A former Parent Teacher Association national president, Jane says it was an accident that she was appointed to Eastern’s Board of Regents in 1992, a post she held until 2003 when she joined the EKU Foundation Board. Accident or no, she and her husband quickly recognized the similarities in their philosophy and that of the “School of Opportunity.”

They also saw that diminishing state budgetary support would soon erode the quality of EKU’s educational program unless they and others who esteem Eastern’s mission intervened.

The Boyers’ belief that exposure to different cultures helps individuals develop respect for others led them to endow Eastern’s

Honors Program. The program emphasizes student participation in national conferences and cultural travel as a means of broadening understanding and, thus, making the world a smaller place. Matched

by Kentucky’s Bucks for Brains initiative, Charles and Jane Boyer’s gift ensures that as many Honors students who desire to participate in these opportunities can do so.

There has never been a better time to make a gift to Eastern Kentucky University, the Boyers assert. Eastern’s Moving Forward Together capital campaign establishes endowment funds that provide interest income to support Eastern initiatives for generations to come.

“When you donate to a capital campaign, the donation goes on forever, eventually exceeding the value of your original gift,” says Jane.

“Every dollar helps.”

To make your investment in Eastern Kentucky University, please visit www.eku.edu/development or call 859/622-3565.

A l u m n i M at t e r s

Eastern

The Magazine of Eastern Kentucky University Dr. Doug Whitlock, ’65, ’66

AlumniMatters The Campus Beautiful was truly resplendent for Homecoming 2007, October 19-21. “Mission: Maroon” was accomplished in, oh, so many ways!

Eastern was awash with sunlit maroon, orange, and yellow as the fall season welcomed alumni back.

Students carried out the theme in residence hall decorations and festive parade floats. The Alumni Coliseum parking lot rocked under the big tents with the music, food and fun of Colonel Country Tailgate as fans prepared for EKU’s showdown with Tennessee State. The Colonels chalked up a resounding win over the Tigers and secured their spot at the top of the Ohio Valley Conference rankings.

More than 100 Honors Program alumni returned to their alma mater to help celebrate the 20th anniversary of this revered academic program. The inaugural of the new Alumni Career Network reception was well-received both by current students seeking mentors and alumni who graciously shared their time and professional knowledge. Mark your calendars now to blaze a trail home October 25 for Homecoming 2008!

Many people think of fall as the winding down of the year, but at your Eastern Kentucky University, the excitement is just getting started. The academic year is in full swing, the campus is alive with the laughter of students, and we’re gearing up for a truly invigorating time in Eastern’s history. As you’ll hear in the pages to follow, EKU is changing, growing and thriving. From new leadership to new facilities and new programs, we’re eager to share all of this positive news with you.

What hasn’t changed, however, is the foundation upon which Eastern is built. EKU continues to be a university committed to extending educational opportunity, impacting lives for the better, and flourishing as a caring, nurturing community of learners. Rest assured, traditions that make Eastern...well, Eastern...are still alive and well here: from rubbing the toe of the Daniel Boone statue’s boot before a big test to concerts in the ravine. You are part of this legacy, and as we share our progress with you, we hope you’ll return the favor.

We’re eager to hear news of you and your family. Drop us a note or e-mail me at jackie.collier@eku.edu. Better yet, join us on campus April 25-27 for Alumni Weekend. Class reunions, departmental demonstrations and alumni award presentations are just part of what makes this a fun weekend for alumni of all ages! It’s always a treat to catch up with members of the EKU family.

Jackie Collier

Director of Alumni Relations

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President

Joseph D.W. Foster

Interim Vice President for University Advancement

Alumni Relations Staff Jackie Collier, Director

859/622-1260, jackie.collier@eku.edu Jey Marks, ’00, Associate Director

jey.marks@eku.edu

Alumni Association Board 2007-08

Bill Jones, ’68, ’79, President

Georgetown, Ky., kywmjones@earthlink.net W. Michael Conway, ‘72, Vice-President/President-Elect

Dayton, Ohio, mikeconway@juno.com Ron House, ’69, ’70, Past-President

Richmond, Ky., ronhouse@bellsouth.net Ron Griffin, ’79, Secretary

Lexington, Ky., deacong@insightbb.com Dewayne Biddy, ’87

Franklin, Tenn., DBiddy@aol.com Cynthia Bohn, ’80

Lexington, Ky., cbohn@us.ibm.com Marc Collins, ’97

Ft. Mitchell, Ky., mrc115@aol.com Melissa Combs-Wright, ’00

Seattle, Wash., melissarcombs@aol.com Aaron Cox, ’96

Richmond, Ky., acox@kychamber.com Kimberly Sasser Croley, ‘83

Corbin, Ky., kscroley@yahoo.com Phil Drees, ’89

Hebron, Ky., pdrees@triangledesigngroup.com Doug Hampton, ’71

Cynthiana, Ky., pdhampton@bellsouth.net Kara Tatum Harris, ’02, ’04

Georgetown, Ky., kara.harris@eku.edu Jackie Lazaro, Student Alumni Ambassador

jackie_lazaro@eku.edu Emery Lee, ’88, ’02

Louisville, Ky., emanvein@bellsouth.net Tom Martin, ’93, ’01

Richmond, Ky., tom.martin@eku.edu Dan Masden, ’73

New York, N.Y., radiodanmason@aol.com Gary Maynard, ’64

Marietta, Ga., gmgm@bellsouth.net Regina Morgan, ‘89

Lebanon, Ohio, rmorgan@littlemiamischools.com Maria Maile Murray, ’99

Hebron, Ky., mam2245@hotmail.com Charles Neal, ’98

Jeffersonville, Ind., cfnwealthmgmt@insightbb.com Col. Ralph Newman, ‘62

Grayson, Ky., newmanren@aol.com Doug Oliver, ’68

Winchester, Ky., coliver21648@bellsouth.net Geri Polvino, ’66

Lexington, Ky. April Ramsey Pergrem, ’95

Richmond, Ky. Cindy Reed, ’87

Richmond, Ky., reedcin@adelphia.net Deitra M. Reese-Watson, ’94, ’95

Columbia, S.C., deitra5057@yahoo.com Jenni Wade Sutley, ‘96

Frankfort, Ky., jsutley@gmail.com Patty Anderson Tarvin, ’71

Nicholasville, Ky., patarvin@yahoo.com

A Special Message

A Special Message from Board of Regents Chair Hunter Bates When I was a student at Eastern Kentucky University, one of my professors started each semester by walking into the classroom wearing sunglasses and blaring what was a popular song at the time,“The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades.”

We stopped just short of handing out sunglasses at EKU’s annual Fall Convocation on August 15, but I can say that you have great reason to be encouraged and excited about your alma mater.

Just look at the progress made in the last few years alone:

• A bold, new Strategic Plan

• A successful SACS review that we expect will lead to reaffirmation of our accreditation later this year

• An exciting Quality Enhancement Plan that will transform the Eastern Experience for our students

• National accreditations of key academic programs and the establishment of new academic programs, such as the PGA Professional Golf Management program

• Numerous new facilities and more in the construction and planning phases

• The launch of Eastern’s first comprehensive capital campaign, which has passed the $19 million mark toward a $25 million goal, and an endowment that has more than doubled in size

• Financial stability

• Rising enrollment

• And a re-energized alumni base that is far more involved in the life of the University

I want to thank previous President Joanne Glasser, the entire campus community and all the alumni and friends who have contributed to these recent successes and assure you of this fact: the best is yet to come!

One reason for the Regents’ optimism is the man who will serve as EKU’s 11th President. When the University community learned of President Glasser’s resignation the morning of August 7 to accept the presidency of Bradley University, many of you sent e-mails and made calls to the Board suggesting various men and women who could step into the breach on an interim basis and confidently and capably lead our university forward.

We could have conducted a national search and not found a better pool of qualified candidates. Our choice was difficult, but the Board on August 13 chose unanimously Dr. Charles Douglas Whitlock as president for this critically important interim period. It was, to put it mildly, a very popular choice.

Initially, it was announced that Dr. Whitlock would serve for an interim period of only one year. Over the ensuing weeks, it became even more obvious to a wide range of constituencies, including this Board, that Dr. Whitlock’s encyclopedic knowledge of the University, his outstanding leadership abilities and his progressive vision for EKU were perfectly suited to lead this great institution on a more permanent basis.

Already, Dr. Whitlock’s administration has been marked by a pervasive spirit of teamwork and tangible progress on numerous fronts, including a visionary Business Plan, now in draft stages, which contains some exciting strategies for continued growth and expanded service to the region and Commonwealth.

Therefore, at a special meeting on October 22, the Board unanimously chose to remove the interim label, name Dr. Whitlock as EKU’s 11th President and extend his appointment to a total of three years, ending July 31, 2010.

Dr. Whitlock served Eastern in various leadership roles from 1968 to 2003, including service to three EKU presidents as executive assistant and the final five years as vice president for administrative affairs. His love affair with Eastern began when he arrived on his hometown campus as a first-generation undergraduate student in 1961 and continued unabated throughout his studies and his professional career.

The Board’s action on October 22 is reminiscent of a very successful approach taken by the University of Louisville in 2002, when it named Jim Ramsey as interim president and three months later appointed him as president.

Because of our decision to extend President Whitlock’s contract, the Board has postponed any presidential search activities until the fall of 2009.

Over the past few months, many have called or written to express their support for Dr. Whitlock. One e-mail I received the day of the convocation summed up the moment far better than I could: “EKU needs Dr.Whitlock’s leadership, friendship, compassion, and gentle but effective management style at this time in EKU’s history.”

Doug Whitlock has been called a man for all seasons. I can’t speak for all seasons. But, on behalf of the Board of Regents, I can confidently say he is truly the man for this season in the life of this great university.

G. Hunter Bates Board of Regents Chair

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EKU Science Building

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This building really opens the door for u work, space fo s to embrace r involving gra modern teach duates and und ing technolog ergraduates y. It gives us in research p

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ARCHITECT‘S RENDERING Eastern 5

EKU Science Building

ARCHITECT‘S RENDERING

S

ite preparation and giving opportunities have begun for a 330,000 square foot Science Building that will help Eastern Kentucky University provide a nationally distinguished science preparation for each of its students.

The stately new building will revolutionize science instruction at EKU and reshape the feel of the campus for decades to come, says Dr. Malcolm Frisbie, biology professor and faculty coordinator of the building project.

The Science Building will house science programs now spread over eight buildings. At its location next to the Health Sciences buildings, down the hill from the library and across from Case Annex, home of many liberal arts programs, it will also anchor the present academic heart of the campus. Site preparation began in early July.

In keeping with its commitment to protect the environment, the EKU science community along with Omni Architects, lead designers of the facility, also have committed to making this a model “green” building. This means that measures have been incorporated into the building design to promote efficient use of materials, water and energy, as well as reducing waste. Even the building construction is being undertaken with conservation in mind. Careful site planning has allowed the preservation of many stately trees that line the property off Kit Carson Drive. Refuse concrete will be pulverized and used as site preparation material, and contractors will utilize shingles reclaimed from other projects as building material for the new facility.

State-of-the-art technology, an atmosphere designed to make students want to linger, and amenities like a three-story atrium and a functional stream bed which flows alongside the building are showcase features of the building’s design.

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A host of safety and space benefits will include:

• Fine-tuned temperature control and ventilation

• Plenty of safety pieces such as fume hoods for working with volatile chemicals

• Classrooms designed for multiple activities like collaboration, use of both computer and mechanical equipment, and use of chemicals

• The effects, when complete, will be increased safety and capability for the students and faculty working in the building and heightened interest and curiosity in the sciences among all university constituents

“This building really opens the door for us to embrace modern teaching technology. It gives us so much space for group work, space for involving graduates and undergraduates in research projects. I think it’s going to electrify people,” Frisbie says.

Joseph Foster, interim vice president for advancement, says that a combination of funding from the state and support from friends of EKU can both finish and outfit the building to the highest standards and provide scholarship support for deserving students.

EKU will ask the Kentucky Legislature during its next session to provide $37 million to fund Phase II of the $96 million building, which will house the department of biological sciences. Phase I, already funded by the Commonwealth at $59 million, will house the departments of chemistry, geography & geology and physics & astronomy. Both phases already have been incorporated into a preliminary design drawn up with funding from the Kentucky Legislature.

Frisbie says the cost of outfitting the building is now estimated at about $9 million. Of that, more than $5 million will buy scientific equipment. Major purchases will include an NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) instrument, which will be used predominantly by chemistry students; an SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope), which chemistry, biological sciences, and geography & geology will use; a sophisticated laser for physics research; and a GIS (Graphical Information Systems) production suite, which will be part of geography & geology study.

Biological sciences and geography & geology also need vehicles for students and faculty to use in the field for hands-on activities and research projects.

“On the smaller item end of the scale, we will purchase an enormous number of microscopes for this building. When you stop and think that every student who graduates from here with a four-year degree needs to take a biology class with a lab, that means that each of those students must peer through a microscope – we need to outfit lots of laboratory teaching spaces with 24 microscopes each. They add up quickly!” Frisbee says.

He says most of the remainder of the outfitting budget will be used to buy furniture, information technology and audiovisual equipment.

The first phase of the building is slated to be ready for classes by spring semester of 2011. If the Legislature is forthcoming with the requested funding, the second phase should be ready for classes by fall semester of 2011, Frisbie says. Private donors will have the opportunity to help equip and furnish the vast building with their contributions.

Dreams and excitement over the Science Building extend to every student on campus, not just the science majors who will take classes there. The creation of a broad-based hub to teach future English teachers and lawyers, not just future doctors, chemists and geologists, is part of the school’s mission.

One ready source of non-science majors is EKU’s requirement that every student seeking a baccalaureate degree take two laboratory sciences. That will bring each of EKU’s approximately 16,000 students across the Science Building’s portals for at least two classes.

“Our world is increasingly driven by technology, and increasingly there are scientific issues we all face. All people need a good foundation in basic scientific principles. They need to know the kinds of answers science can give us and the kinds science can’t,” Frisbie says.

The Science Building is key to helping EKU take its place in the national science arena. “By far our biggest strength is the interest and dedication of the faculty in working with students. EKU is known as a teaching institution. You almost always have a professor teaching your class here,” Frisbie says.

“Professors spend a lot of time with students in the field and getting students involved in research projects that would happen in the laboratory or in the field. The building gives us the space and new equipment to do more of that.”

Careful attention to the many activities that take place in teaching spaces will result in premier classroom design in the Science Building.

“Science spaces are very demanding to design because there are so

ARCHITECT‘S RENDERING

Key Design Features

• A three-story atrium serves as the main entry and the intersection of two teaching and learning wings.

• Outdoor learning environments integrate with the landscape design, including a natural wetland for

treatment of roof run-off.

• Efficient mechanical and electrical systems provide reduced energy consumption.

• Environmentally-responsible exterior and interior materials, such as zinc wall panels, have a long

lifespan without a painted finish.

• Extensive use of glass reduces the need for artificial lighting and improves the quality of working spaces.

• Innovative laboratory design, including studio-style labs, support emerging pedagogies.

The facility houses:

• 49 teaching laboratories • 62 faculty and student research laboratories • 19 classrooms and seminar rooms • 120 faculty and staff offices

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EKU Science Building

many different kinds of activities that need to go on in each space.

For example, in a teaching setting, one needs horizontal spaces to spread out maps, take notes and do drawings,” Frisbie says.

Other activities that classrooms must accommodate include hands-on work with mechanical instruments, lasers and chemicals; work with computers for data collection and data analysis; meetings between students and faculty with boards and places to hang tear-off sheets; and hooking digital projectors to computers.

“That’s a lot to put into a teaching space. But it’s a whole different ballgame if we can design the spaces, from the outset, to incorporate modern technology and provide spaces for the kinds of interactions that need to be part of top notch science instruction today,” Frisbie says.

A second priority of the building is creation of an inviting atmosphere that draws people to stay and collaborate with one another.

“If we educate people in the sciences – our majors plus all those people who are taking one or two courses here – we want them to be excited about where they are. One of the things we said right off the top was, ‘We want people to want to be in the building and not leave as soon as possible.’ We want to keep them here,” Frisbie says.

8 Eastern

Plenty of glass, natural light, and a three-story atrium located at the grand entrance of the L-shaped building will help accomplish that.

Designers envision the atrium as a living space that will house a 200-seat café usable also for lectures, concerts and special events. The light and space also are seen as influences that will lead people to community and collaboration, which are key to scientific endeavor.

The building is designed to spill outward to create teaching areas outdoors also. A greenhouse, plant beds, an aquatic pond, and wetland that will run alongside the building are among these. One of the most fascinating features is the dry bed stream, which will receive massive amounts of water that collects on the roof and is guttered down.

“Physicists could look at the flow rates and the depth vs. the velocity of the water. Geologists could study how sediment moves. Biologists could study the life that grows there. We are going to direct that water to a place where we can use it to demonstrate concepts in geology, physics, ecology and chemistry,” Frisbie says. “What a great place to take water samples and do chemical analyses on them.”

Other outdoor features will include rocks for geologists, an observation point where a telescope can be mounted for astronomical observations and a forest that biologists can observe growing over time.

A third influence of the building will be its physical presence. Easily the largest structure on campus, when complete, the building will be striking and memorable in appearance. Its location just north of the health sciences complex is near the heart of the campus both literally and figuratively. In a way, the building will serve to link the traditional liberal arts housed in one set of buildings—English, foreign languages and humanities, philosophy and religion, mathematics and statistics— with the applied disciplines located in the health sciences buildings and the computer science building.

“I think this building will be a space that you feel comfortable in and want to linger in. I think the space will allow us to teach and do science in exciting new ways,” Frisbie says.

Anyone interested in learning more about the Science Building and the many ways to support Eastern’s students is encouraged to contact the EKU Development Office at 859/622-1583.

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H o n o r s P ro g r a m M a r k s A n n i v e r s a ry

A Celebration of Quality: Twenty Years of the EKU Honors Program

T

he EKU Honors Program (HP) provides intellectually talented undergraduates strong grounding in liberal arts designed to complement any major a student chooses.

Outstanding instructors from various disciplines jointly teach much of the course work. It is a proven arrangement allowing exposure to different viewpoints while promoting models of intellectual discussion. Scholarship opportunities await persons accepted in the HP, including an automatic award that permits students to borrow the books needed for participation. Additionally, one may compete for a diverse array of competitive scholarships.

This school year marks two decades of Honors Program service to Eastern and the nearly 600 students who have participated in the

program thus far. Four years of study and planning took place before the HP opened its doors, planning evident in every aspect of the multi-faceted program. The University, students, and faculty credit its growth and continuing success to Dr. Bonnie Gray, now in her twentieth year as director, and to the professors who enrich the program as instructors and mentors both inside the classroom and out.

Earth Sciences Professor Bruce MacLaren, one of the program’s designers and a supporter since its inception, says of Dr. Gray, “She is a remarkably intelligent woman with an equally remarkable ability to keep people on track without demanding they do so.� That ability, along with an abiding interest in students and participating faculty, wins Gray long lasting loyalty.

Dr. Bonnie Gray has been Honors Program director since its inception.

10 Eastern

“

Dr. Gray is widely respected and is one of the wisest people that I know. She is an incredible individual who truly cares about students and education.

”

— Lisa Kay, Program’s first graduate

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H o n o r s P ro g r a m M a r k s A n n i v e r s a ry

“

To me, the greatest thing about the Honors Program was students and professors.

”

Choices, Choices Scholars can choose to live and study in a hall reserved for Honors students; attend the program’s frequent social activities on and off campus; take part in debates; attend special lectures and retreats; and enjoy cultural jaunts to Louisville, Lexington, and Cincinnati. But there is more.

Exploration, Preparation, Exhilaration Students report that the most illuminating learning tools of all are the supervised study and presentation panels offered each year. Five or so students select a topic, research it, and present a supporting argument at area, state, and national conferences. Dayton, Kentucky, alumna Kathy McCormick, ’93, says that the conference trips “had a real effect” on her. “That’s the first time I saw people giving professional talks, so it allowed me to get a taste of what it means to represent your university or other organization.”

Now a senior research scientist in the Radiation Detection and Nuclear Sciences group at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, McCormick’s job of developing detectors and solving problems in radiation detection takes her to U.S. border crossings for work with the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection officers.

A Nationally Recognized Program “We lead the nation in the number of students who attend these conferences from our university versus other universities,” Dr. Gray says, “and they all make presentations. For example, we’ll take about 60 students and other schools will take one or two.” The cost of participation limits most schools, she explains, but EKU’s program now pays for the trips, thanks to a major endowment from Charles and Jane Boyer. “Back in the days when I didn’t have a generous endowment to tap into,” Gray recalls, “I was still taking 30 to 40, and that involved shaking the money trees on campus and around the community.”

Dr. MacLaren chooses to attend most of the conferences. “Unlike in a lot of honors programs,” he says, “Bonnie always works hard to take as many students as she can to these national conferences. And from the very beginning, we’ve worked with faculty and students ahead of time to ensure that students make a very strong impression when they speak.”

The Invaluable Private Sector Gray is still “shaking the money trees” to assist students working many hours outside the classroom. She invites those interested in underwriting a worthwhile organization to visit her classroom “and see for themselves the tangible benefits.” Many exceptional scholars long to

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travel for on-site studies, Dr. Gray adds, “but a school like Eastern doesn’t have money that would allow even a few of our Honors Program students to do that.”

A Program That Knows No Borders Although most HP students are Kentuckians, the program now has students representing 15 states and approximately 40 countries.

Internationals include Albanians Mellani Lefta and her sister, Tina, whose parents are math and physics teachers in their home country.

Mellani, a graduate in biology and chemistry, presently studies at Eastern’s medical school as part of the M.D./Ph.D. Program. Tina, a junior, plans to attend dental school.

“When I arrived at EKU,” Mellani says, “I told Dr. Gray about my determination to study hard and succeed and about my family’s income limitations. She accepted me into the program right away…I cannot find enough words to describe her kindness, her understanding, and her willingness to help…she does way beyond what one would expect of a professor.”

Kentuckian Mark Ramsay of Berea was the first of four brothers to finish at EKU. Two of his brothers married other HP students, not an uncommon occurrence within the close-knit program. A public

the camaraderie between the students and between — Kathy McCormick, Alumna Dr. Gray takes delight in crediting professors involved with the program: “I always like to emphasize that I’ve been so fortunate to be surrounded by faculty colleagues who’ve wanted to work with this program and make it into what it has become,” she says.

What Lies Ahead for the Honors Program?

relations major currently in contract work for General Motors, Ramsay fondly recalls the national conferences and also the memory-making Christmas trips. One Christmas break adventure included a bus trip to New Orleans. “We not only visited cultural sites,” Ramsay said, but also “toured the swamp, ate delicious food, heard live music, walked in the French Quarter, and learned to dance Zydeco numbers.”

Mellani Lefta also recalls the trips with pleasure. “Dr. Gray works hard to make the conference trips memorable for the students. She plans visits to museums, nice dinners, shows, plays and operas.”

Though Mark Ramsay graduated in 1999, his enthusiasm for the program never waned. “In 2005, some of us set up an alumni endowment to make sure that the Honors Program keeps going the way Dr. Gray and the others set it up,” he says. “It’s important. They invested in us and we want to give back.” Word spread quickly to fellow graduates. “Last time I checked,” he says, “the program had about $10,000 in the bank”—the sum required for Eastern to manage the endowment. “We’re a young group. Most of us are still making our way, and I think it’s an impressive accomplishment. The University didn’t prompt us to fund this; we just approached them and said what we wanted to do.” They named the fund the Bonnie Gray Society in honor of the director, who retires in June.

“One idea would be to stabilize the program and keep it about the size it is,” Gray says, citing her policy of paying students’ conference trip expenses. Regarding mentoring, she hopes efforts will continue to encourage more and different faculty to join in the widespread support the program already enjoys. “I’d also like to see alumni become more involved,” she says. “That would allow us a bigger pool to draw on.

Alumni could be utilized in ways we haven’t yet actualized. For example, we could pair a law student with a lawyer as mentor.” Additionally, she would like to see HP students in more competition for national scholarships, such as the Rhodes. “What it would take is identifying potential candidates when they’re fresh and then grooming them over a period of time.”

The program’s first graduate, Lisa Ray, says of Gray, “She has always been organized, classy, and resourceful.Year after year, she manages to juggle a variety of tasks with aplomb (and she) is one of the wisest people that I know…an incredible individual who truly cares about students and education.”

Gray has been called “the driving force behind the program,” and many agree with that assessment. Mellani Lefta says, “She is always very concerned about the people she works with and does way beyond what one would expect of a professor, to help and accommodate the students.” Indeed, stories of her assistance to students abound, such as the time she purchased a dress shirt for a struggling scholar who needed to make a presentation. In another instance, she carried favorite foods to a student primarily subsisting on bread and ketchup sandwiches.

Gray also quietly works to secure jobs for students. One of those jobs was given to Mellani: “I worked in the Honors Office for three and one half years and not one time did I see Dr. Gray not making time to see or talk to any student who would walk in her office.”

When retirement arrives for Dr. Gray this year, she can depart the campus knowing that the foundation she, the University, and her colleagues have built, brick upon brick, is solid. Even so, she will be sorely missed.

To view in-depth information, including course information and examples of the varied educational and cultural opportunities, visit the program’s website at www.honors.eku.edu or request an HP brochure by writing EKU, 168 Case Annex, 521 Lancaster Ave., Richmond, KY 40475, or phone 859/622-2924.

Anyone wishing to contribute to the Bonnie Gray Society can do so by marking on the memo line of a check “BG Society” and mailing to the EKU Foundation, CPO 19A, 521 Lancaster Avenue, Richmond, KY 40475.

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K at h y M c C o r m i c k , ’ 9 3

14 Eastern

COMFORT ZONE It’s hard not to notice America’s increased emphasis on national security. Travelers arrive at airports hours before their flights, one-quart plastic bags in tow for gels, aerosols and liquids, to undergo scrutiny at security checkpoints. Passports are necessary to return from even our closest and seemingly most benign neighboring countries. Among the majority of U.S. citizens, the Department of Homeland Security has surpassed many Hollywood celebrities in name recognition.

In this post-9/11 environment, Dr. Kathy McCormick finds herself an integral part of the nation’s war on terror, putting the knowledge she gained as a physics student at Eastern Kentucky University to use in ways she couldn’t have fathomed 15 years ago.

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K At H y m c c o r m i c K , ’ 9 3

From making life-long friends to opening many opportunities as time goes on, joining the EKU Honors Program really changed my life.

—Kathy McCormick

M

cCormick is a senior research scientist in the Radiation Detection and Nuclear Sciences group of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Washington. Pacific Northwest is contracted by the federal government to deploy radiation detectors at America’s ports of entry. Consequently, McCormick is part of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) effort to screen 100 percent of all goods, people and conveyances—cars, trucks, ships, railway cars, etc.— entering the United States for the presence of nuclear and radiological materials. It’s a mission that must be fulfilled while not impeding the flow of legitimate trade so vital to the American economy. Radioactive materials are commonly used in a variety of “innocent” industrial, scientific and medical applications that pose little threat to the public.

McCormick travels to border crossings around the country, providing scientific support to help enhance the probability of detection of threat radiation sources amid a sea of lawful radioactive commodities that range from smoke detectors to cancer treatments. “I get a lot out of this activity and seeing all the preparation and training it takes to make our borders safe,” McCormick says.

Earning her degree from Eastern in 1993, McCormick was a member of only the second class of EKU Honors graduates. Her physics major may have seemed an unusual choice to some, especially for a female and at a time when many colleges and universities were

16 Eastern

abandoning their physics programs altogether. Truth be told, however, Eastern has produced more female physics students than any school in the region, and those who knew McCormick best understood that science had always been her favorite subject. She had a strong interest in space exploration and toyed with the idea of a career with NASA. “Until my junior or senior year in high school, I thought I would major in chemistry, but then I had my first physics course,” she remembers.

“My teacher, Rosann Sharon, was inspiring, and I wanted to learn more about physics after her course. I also found physics to be more challenging, and I enjoyed the laboratory experiments more than chemistry labs.”

As if the physics curriculum wasn’t rigorous enough, the first generation college student from Dayton, Kentucky, a community of fewer than 6,000 residents situated along a bend of the Ohio River, chose to join Eastern’s new Honors Program. Enrolled in advanced classes in high school, she was enthusiastic about taking Honors classes in college from the moment she heard about the program. That enthusiasm was spurred by her Aunt Melissa’s insistence that she couldn’t pass up a program that would improve her education and look good on her resumé to boot!

“I still remember receiving a book to read for the program— Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance—the summer between my graduation from high school and start of college,” she laughs. At first

blush, it may have appeared that the new EKU Honors Program was to include auto mechanics as part of its curriculum. In actuality, the book is described in editorial reviews as “arguably one of the most profoundly important essays ever written on the nature and significance of ‘quality’…in a modern world pathologically obsessed with quantity.”

Provocative texts like this are the basis for discussions that begin in the classroom but tend to extend into the dining hall, residence halls, local fast food eateries, and beyond.

“To me, the greatest thing about the Honors program is the camaraderie between the students and between the students and professors. Being able to have informal, intellectual discussions with professors really opened my eyes to many different viewpoints,” recalls McCormick. “It also gives you a network of people that you can discuss different ideas with.”

With earth sciences professor Dr. Bruce MacLaren, McCormick and her fellow students discussed important scientific history.

“Dr. MacLaren was a model scientific thinker for me,” she says. From Dr. Ron Messerich, philosophy professor, “I learned the importance of thinking logically and coming at a problem from many different perspectives to try to anticipate the way that people may challenge my thinking.” She adds with a smile, “My friends and I also got a lot of exposure to video games as he often invited us to play Nintendo!”

Engaging in open dialogue with approachable faculty proved especially helpful on one assignment in particular. The class had been asked to write about the scientific methodology applied by the Puritans. McCormick admits that she simply couldn’t think of how to get started. English Professors Paula Kopacz and Andy Harnack “sat me down and asked me questions until I thought of a way to tackle the topic and make a good report out of it.”

This kind of intellectual exchange didn’t end with graduation.

McCormick and a group of her fellow Honors graduates and their former professors continue the tradition during their annual day-after-Thanksgiving reunion. Eight HP alumni and faculty meet in Lexington, Kentucky, on Black Friday for a shopping spree and friendly debate. According to McCormick, “After the first hour, we have all settled back into our old routine and are very comfortable discussing things ranging from personal issues to physics to philosophy to law.”

McCormick credits the Eastern Honors Program with providing the foundational knowledge that makes her comfortable engaging in conversation about such topics. As the EKU physics department provided the science expertise she needed, the Honors Program rounded out her education with the study of history, literature, philosophy and a host of other subjects. “The program set my college experience apart from that of many people,” McCormick explains. “As I continued my education, I met people from larger, more prestigious schools. The Honors Program put me on equal footing with them.”

Given McCormick’s abilities and initiative, it’s hard to imagine that it took much of a step for her to find that equal footing. She earned her master’s degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign then pursued a Ph.D. at Old Dominion University. At Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News, Virginia, where she conducted her thesis research, she was afforded valuable opportunities to broaden her professional experience. Because of the polished speaking style cultivated in EKU’s Honors Rhetoric course as well as during the hours spent in preparation for presentations at national Honors conferences, McCormick was often tapped to present the Facility’s research at physics seminars around the globe. “Practice aloud, on your feet, many times” was the mantra instilled by her EKU professors. “I’ve done that ever since then, always standing up and giving my talk to myself at least twice to hone my delivery,” admits McCormick.

Her travels took her to Croatia, Australia, France, Russia and many other European countries. These qualify as exotic locales by most standards, but some of McCormick’s most treasured trips are those she made to support the students of her alma mater as they took their turn participating in Honors conferences and cultural excursions. “For years she’d meet us if at all possible,” remembers Honors Program Director Bonnie Gray. “Sometimes she’d drive 12 hours or take an airplane to meet us. She was just hook, line and sinker involved with this program.”

Although McCormick was never enrolled in one of Gray’s courses, the mutual respect between the two has transcended the years.

McCormick credits Gray with being the driving force behind the Honors Program, meeting with students individually to discuss the opportunities available to them and becoming so well acquainted with them all that she even knew their favorite foods and would bring these dishes to campus at precisely the moment when a caring gesture was needed most. This past May, one of McCormick’s Happy Mother’s Day phone calls was to Dr. Gray.

Gray couldn’t be more proud of McCormick if she were her own child. “She is the most down-to-earth person,” the professor asserts.

“All of these degrees and experiences have not put one ounce of superiority into her personality. She’s Kathy.”

In October McCormick once again traveled across the country in support of the Eastern Kentucky University program she holds so dear. From Richland, Washington, to Richmond, Kentucky, didn’t seem too long a journey to help the Honors Program celebrate its 20th anniversary as part of EKU’s Homecoming festivities. “I really enjoyed seeing all of the people from my HP graduating class,” McCormick declares. “From making life-long friends to opening many opportunities as time goes on, joining the EKU Honors Program really changed my life.”

Eastern 17

m u s tA p H A B o J A n g , ’ 0 7

GLIMMER OF HOPE

M

18 Eastern

ustapha Bojang is a lucky young man. While his family remains in Gambia, a war-torn nation plagued by drought, desertification, deforestation, water-borne diseases and a host of other environmental and economic issues, Bojang’s life currently revolves around his pursuit of a master’s degree in biochemistry at Kent State University. However, his educational journey could never have begun, he says, without an initial stop at Eastern Kentucky University.

The goal of one day returning home to help his two brothers and two sisters plays a primary role in Bojang’s dogged pursuit of knowledge. His education was at first sponsored by his uncle, who lived on the Ivory Coast. But when civil war rebels looted and burned his uncle’s textile business in 2003, Bojang was left destitute in America. Then the EKU Honors Program came to his rescue.

Through this program, Bojang was able to find a summer job on campus, which solved some immediate financial strains. And then the Honors Program offered help for the 26-year-old through its endowed scholarship fund. Recognizing students of outstanding promise is one of the primary aims of the program, and Bojang showed great promise, indeed.

With this financial help, Bojang earned his diploma from EKU during this past summer’s commencement ceremony and then entered Kent State University’s fall graduate chemistry program. And, he says, he has not ruled out Ph.D. work. Chemistry, he says, had always been a first love. He had previously considered a degree in pharmacy, but once his EKU professors saw his proficiency at chemistry, they encouraged him to move in that direction for a degree.

“The Honors Program at EKU prepared me very well for this,” says Bojang. His thick west African accent is difficult to understand, but you can almost hear a smile breaking across his face when he discusses his previous life at EKU and what that experience has meant to him. He says he is considering a career in bio-medical research, then perhaps returning home, where he has not set foot since 2003, to help his country with its many social and physical ills. Life in Gambia, though, is still unstable, and, he muses cautiously, he isn’t sure at this moment what is in store for him. He just knows that the EKU program has given him a start toward a much brighter future.

“I would not have finished at EKU without the help from the Honors Program,” he says. That testament is spoken in just plain English, as it is a fact of life, like breathing. “I am doing well here,” he says.

Even with his future uncertain, Bojang says he will definitely one day return home. Then it is his hope to help his younger brothers and sisters go to college. Since he is the first of his family to get an education, it is important to him that he return to help his siblings also have a chance at better lives.

He will be helping them, he says, just as he was helped—first by a caring uncle, and then by a caring university in Kentucky.

e s tA B l i s H

A

legAcy

Establish a Legacy This Holiday Sea son.

Honor a former professor, staff person, administrator or even a fellow student.

Make a donation to The Eastern Fund and pass along the gift of higher education to future generations.

Contact the Development Office at 859-622-1583 or visit www.eku.edu/development for more information on how to establish your legacy through an “In Honor of” or “In Memory of” gift to The Eastern Fund.

Gifts received or postmarked by December 31 are tax-deductible for the 2007 calendar year.

Eastern 19

Homecoming 2007

Mission:

20 Eastern

Maroon

Accomplished

2007

homecoming

Eastern 21

Campus News

In recognition of its efforts, the group was recently awarded top honors at the annual conference of the Association of Student Advancement Programs. EKU’s Student Ambassadors earned the Outstanding Organization title for their strategic approach to meeting challenges, effective planning and execution of programs, level of activity on campus and in the community, and their clearly defined goals and responsibilities.

“The Student Alumni Ambassadors are highly motivated students who represent a cross section of the campus population,” says Jey Marks, associate director of EKU’s alumni relations and advisor to SAA. “They have a passion for service and give of themselves freely.

They embody some of the best that EKU has to offer and this national honor is proof of that.”

EKU NamedTom One of America’s Best Logsdon

by U.S. News & World Report

Eastern Kentucky University has earned a spot among the top tier Southern Master’s Universities as ranked by U.S. News & World Report in its 2008 “America’s Best Colleges” guide.

“This ranking confirms what generations of Eastern graduates, including me, have known for years: that EKU offers a quality educational experience at an affordable cost,” says Dr. Doug Whitlock, EKU president. “It is a real tribute to the faculty and staff who have worked hard to earn this recognition. Our job now will be to build on this success and to continue to improve the quality of what we do.”

Eastern is number 60 on the list. The annual rankings provide prospective students and their parents a comprehensive look at how more than 1,400 accredited, four-year schools stack up based on a set of 15 indicators of excellence, including student/faculty ratios, alumni giving percentages, and graduation rates.

Ambassadors Honored If you’ve attended an alumni gathering or returned to campus for a Craig Morrison special event, you’ve likely encountered them. The 62 members of Eastern’s Student Alumni Ambassadors (SAA) organization make it their mission to create an atmosphere that is welcoming, informative and just plain fun. From conducting campus tours for prospective students and their parents to organizing class reunion photos and answering alumni questions about contemporary life at EKU, the Ambassadors strive to enhance the special relationship between Eastern and its constituents.

24 Eastern

Green Seal-Approved Eastern has long been known for its lush flora and fauna. However, as students and faculty returned to The Campus Beautiful for the fall term, they found that the grounds weren’t the only green feature worthy of attention. The University had become more environmentally friendly as well.

EKU recently transitioned to new equipment and chemicals to make the cleaning products used campus-wide 100 percent Green Seal-approved. Green Seal, an independent, non-profit Washington, D.C.-based testing organization, has developed criteria for identifying products that are less harmful to human health and the environment.

“The standards for Green Seal cleaning chemicals are very impressive,” says Director of Facilities Services Rich Middleton.

“Requirements address, among other things, toxicity, biodegradability, fragrances, concentration and even user training.”

In addition to providing Green Seal-approved paper products and hand soap, Eastern has replaced traditional paper towel dispensers with automated touchless models and installed more ecologically sound soap dispensers. EKU is thought to be the first university in Kentucky to use Green Seal-certified cleaning products.

“This is not only the right thing to do, but it is in keeping with our efforts to better serve the campus community and its needs,” explains Middleton.

Eastern’s environmental stewardship just might put the University in the green in other ways as well. EKU expects no additional costs associated with the new system. According to Middleton, “We’re even optimistic about recognizing savings given that the chemicals are so concentrated.”

Alumni Weekend

Don’t Miss Alumni Weekend!

April 25-27, 2008

26 Eastern

Plan ahead to be here and celebrate the reunion of the following classes:

1938, 1943, 1948, 1953, 1958, 1963, 1968, 1973, 1978

Be part of our induction ceremonies for the Class of 1958...our newest group of Pioneers!

Call 859/622-1260 for more information.

clAss Acts

CLASS ACTS Fall/Winter 2007 1960’s

Judy Evans Clifford, ’60, Miami, Fla., remains in the home she and her husband Vernon bought in 1962.

Her son Phil is nearby with his wife Lisa, who is a teacher, and their children Kimberly and Michael.

She would love to hear from friends from ’57-’60. Phillip R. Morgan, ’62, Monticello, Ky., has been appointed by Governor Ernie Fletcher as family court judge for the 57th Judicial Circuit, Division 2.

Dr. Glenna Dod, ’65, Macon, Ga., received the 2007 Ann Munck Award for Excellence in Teaching at Wesleyan College. James W. McFarland, ’65, Knoxville, Tenn., was recently elected Vice District Governor of Lions Clubs International’s District 12-N. District 12-N is an organization of 45 Lions Clubs of East Tennessee. Patricia M. Schaar, ’66, ’67, Naples, Fla.,

retired after many years in education and is now traveling throughout the country and world.

Patricia lives in Florida and Valley View, Ky. Ann Strunk Morris, ’67, Somerset, Ky., retired after a 40-year career in education. During her career, she presented in the National Middle School Conference and in the Schools to Watch Program in Washington, D.C. Ann and her husband Jack, ‘66, have three sons, Doug, David, and Daryn, ’00. Sherry Ferguson, ’68, Lexington, Ky., is retired from teaching Special Education. Dr. George W. Rogers, Jr., ’68, ’71, Alexandria, Ky., retired from NorthKey Community Care after 231/2 years as a licensed psychologist and coordinator of Family and Children’s Services.

He is now a partner in IRIS Company, located in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area.

In a previous issue of Eastern, Drs. Hal Blythe and Charlie Sweet of EKU’s English faculty recounted the important role that professors had played in their personal and professional development. They challenged alumni to do the same. Readers responded, and throughout Class Acts, you’ll find some of their stories of inspiration and dedication.

If you have a story you’d like to share about a professor who impacted your life, please e-mail your letter to the director of alumni relations at jackie.collier@eku.edu.

if it Weren’t for Professor Herndon…

In 1952 I was working for Dr. Thomas Herndon, chair of the chemistry department, as a laboratory assistant and was planning on going into teaching at the secondary level or higher. Dr. Herndon, however, encouraged me to think about all available career options and advised me that I should consider a career in the chemical industry, which offered more opportunities and compensation. I soon changed my career goal and, after graduating in 1953 with a degree in chemistry, I went to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and worked in gaseous diffusion and gas centrifuge development programs for over 38 years. Thanks to Dr. Herndon for his guidance, which resulted in a very interesting and rewarding career on my part. I retired in 1992 after having worked for three different Department of Energy contractors: Union Carbide, Martin Marietta and Lockheed Martin.

—John W. Amburgey, Jr., ’53

Dr. Herndon retired from Eastern’s chemistry faculty in 1967. He died in 1987.

28 Eastern

1970’s

Dave Howell, ’70, and fellow alumnus Mike Morgan, ’70, recently brought their record label Coarmusic to the world wide web.

Phyllis Jo Drilling, ’70, Milford, Ohio, is proud that her youngest daughter Mary Lou, ’06, is a fourth generation graduate of Eastern Kentucky University. David P. Duvall, ’70, ’72, Brookville, Ohio, retired this year after a 35-year tenure teaching high school industrial technology. David thanks Ralph Whalen for making him a teacher. Everett and Jori Melius, ’70, Shoreham, N.Y., retired after devoting more than 60 years to education. They now enjoy working in new areas of investment and art.

Finlay Hamilton, ’70, Ellicott City, Md., has achieved the rank of Colonel in the U.S. Army and is director of the Field Band in Washington, D.C. Ken Palmer, ’72, and Carolyn Sue Turner Palmer, ’80, Boiling Springs, Pa., celebrated 35 years of marriage on Aug. 4, 2007. They were the second couple married in the Eastern Kentucky University chapel. Ken retired as Regional Human Resource Manager for Federal Express.

Patricia Franklin Supplee, ’73, Carrollton, Ky., retired in 2006 after 29 years teaching in primary education in Carroll County.

Charles Allen, ’74, Midland, Mich., is an inspector with the Michigan State Police Third District Headquarters. Charles just celebrated his 30-year anniversary with the department. Agyeman B. Danquah, ’75, Sacramento, Calif., retired as a special investigator with the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Agyeman plans to spend most of his time in Italy with family and friends. Dennis B. Hacker, ’75, ’88, ’98, Lexington, Ky., retired in August 2006 from Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, Division of Streets, Roads, and Forestry after serving 51/2 years as the safety coordinator.

Dr. Tom Frazier, ’76, Williamsburg, Ky., was named chairman of the Department of English and Modern Foreign Languages at University of the Cumberlands, where he has been a faculty member since 1976.

Don Klingstein, ’76, has been named director of specialty systems at DoALL Sawing Products in Elk Grove Village, Ill.

Stephen Wayne Crenshaw, ’76, Louisville, Ky., was elected into The International Poetry Hall of Fame. He received thank you letters from the governor of Kentucky and prime minister of England for his poetry.

John Beatty, ’77, Saint Louis, Mo., was recently named vice president of human services at BarnesJewish Hospital in St. Louis. He previously served as vice president of human resources for DT Industries and in various human resources leadership roles at Rockwell Automation, General Electric and Cincinnati Milacron.

Christine Walker, ’77, ’80, Berea, Ky., is a substitute teacher for Berea Community School. Eugene J. Smith, ’78, Mentor, Ohio, recently joined the Loss Prevention Foundation as vice president.

The not-for-profit organization is currently developing a loss prevention certification program.

Teresa Stuck Anderson, ’78, Dayton, Ohio, is a substitute teacher for Northmont and VandaliaButler school districts. She is also the national collegiate area officer for Phi Mu Sorority and chapter advisor at Miami University. Her youngest daughter Kelli is a 2007 EKU graduate. Mary Fred Watson, ’79, Richmond, Ky., worked at Crabbe Library in Acquisitions from 1980-1985. She was also caregiver to her parents. Dr. John “Lucky” Meisenheimer, Jr., ’79, Orlando, Fla., has been operating a no-charge, all-are-welcome haven for open-water swim enthusiasts on Lake Cane. This has become known as “Lucky’s Lake Swim.”

Ginny Rollins, ’79, and Jim Rollins, ’72, ’82, Richmond, Ky., retired from the Madison Co. Board of Education and the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training respectively. They have opened the Chestnut Tree Gallery in downtown Richmond. All art lovers are invited to stop in for a visit.Tony Cataldo, ’79, ’81, served 24 years as a law enforcement officer and is retiring as the training coordinator for a Florida State Regional Police Academy.

He is starting a new enterprise conducting hurricane windstorm mitigation inspections.

1980’s

Bruce Miracle, ’80, Barbourville, Ky., is a librarian for Union College.

Cynthia Bohn, ’80, Lexington, Ky., owns a winery in Lexington and works as a client manager at IBM Corporation.

Kerry Isham, ’80, Louisville, Ky., received her M.A. from the University of Toledo and recently moved from the Jersey shore back to Kentucky. She lives with her 28-pound cat named Zandar and is currently an accessible test editor at the American Printing House for the Blind. Kerry is co-owner of Home Planet, which sells unusual artwork and kitchen products. Rhonda D. Koffhage, ’80, Louisville, Ky., started her own business, Time for You Concierge, which provides personal shopping, errand and other time saving services to its clients. Greg Arrowood, ’81, Shelby, N.C., was recently named an instructor in business administration at Cleveland Community College. He had previously served as president of Shelby Savings Bank. Thomas T. Ross, ’81, Danbury, Conn., earned tenure as a language arts teacher at Danbury High School, which has an enrollment of 3,000 students.

He also serves on the executive board of NEA-Danbury, the district’s bargaining unit. Cpt. Raul A. Pedrozo, ’81, Kapolei, Hawaii, is the senior legal advisor to the commander of the U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii. Rita Slone Miracle, ’81, Barbourville, Ky., is public health disaster preparedness coordinator for the Knox County Health Department. Marsha Sherman, ’82, and Larry Sherman, ’69, Kingsland, Ga., are the proud grandparents of eight, spanning the gamut from ages one to 19. Marsha retired in 2004 as director of the Hospice Care Center in Lexington, Ky. Deborah Anderson, ’83, was appointed by Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher as commissioner of the newly-created Department for Aging and Independent Living.

Joan Gering Harris, ’83, Cincinnati, Ohio, moved to New Zealand in July 2007. Timothy D. Lyon, ’83, Roanoke, Va., is a lieutenant with the Bureau of Criminal Investigations Division of the Virginia State Police.

Timothy was selected to attend the FBI National Academy and graduated in June 2004. He was then selected to participate in an FBI fellowship program in which he

was assigned to the National Joint Terrorism Task Force in Washington, D.C. Catherine Bush, ’85, New York, N.Y., wrote the play Tradin’ Paint, which was released at the Barter Theatre, Abingdon, Va., this summer. Bush was also a recent nominee for the Steinberg playwriting award and has two other plays at the Barter Stage II this year, including Wooden Snowflakes this holiday season and Cry Wolf! presented by the Barter Players. Randy Alan Miller, ’86, Florence, Ky., returned home from a one-year deployment in Afghanistan. He has now returned to teaching at Boone County High School. He retired from the Kentucky Army National Guard in August after 221/2 years of service. Glenn R. Smith, ’86, Julian, Calif., is an administrator at the Hidden Valley Ranch Rehabilitation-San Diego, where he works with adults with traumatic brain injuries. He is also a professional musician and has 3 children with his wife, Jennifer.

Sheila Smith, ’87, Baxter, Ky., accepted a position as principal at Middlesboro High School. Sheila leaves Harlan High School after 11 years as principal. Terri Tyler Vazquez, ’89, Riverview, Fla., has released her first children’s book, Come Out and Play. In addition to working on her second children’s book, she also teaches third grade at Ruskin Elementary School.

1990’s

Jackie Craiger Weeks, ’90, ’91, Richmond, Ky., was recently hired as the corporate human resources manager for Certified Tool in Frankfort, Ky. She is also a poet whose works are being published for the fourth time. Duran Hall, ’90, Louisville, Ky., has been appointed president of Maverick Insurance Agency in Louisville. Cat Timmerman, ’90, Louisville, Ky., successfully defended her dissertation, The First Amendment in Academia: A Public School Teacher’s Right to Free Speech, and graduated with her doctorate in education from Spalding University in June. Michelle Burdett, ’90, Cincinnati, Ohio, recently accepted a position at Rehabilitation Continuum in Cincinnati. She will be returning “home” after 16 years in eastern Ohio. Jeremy D. Bonfiglio, ’92, South Bend, Ind., received second place in the Best

Help Us Celebrate Your Little Colonel Let your Alumni Association know about your Little Colonel’s arrival, and we’ll send you an EKU baby bib—free! It’s our way of saying congratulations.

We will also run your announcement in an issue of Eastern magazine. Information, including parent’s name and baby’s name and date of birth can be submitted using the form below. If sending a photo, please note that computer-generated photos cannot be published.

Arts and Entertainment Writing in Suburban Newspapers of America contest. He was recognized for his story, “A Night at the Cove,” a feature about a South Bend Silver Hawks (Class A) baseball game as seen through the eyes of four elderly men who attend games to rekindle their boyhood friendship.

Tim Morgan, ’92, ’93, ’97, Stanford, Ky., a sergeant first class with the United States Army, has been mobilized to Iraq. He will be senior chaplain assistant in Baghdad for one year. Tim previously served in the United States Marine Corps and Kentucky National Guard.

Jerry Joe Daniels, ’94, Glade Spring, Va., was promoted to sergeant with the Virginia State Police. He is assigned to the Division 4 Headquarters. Kelvin Ford, ’94, Lawrence, Mass., is in his first year as assistant athletics director for compliance at Merrimack College. He joins the staff from the NCAA National Headquarters. Richard Earl Zerbee, ’95, and Tara Zerbee, ’06, Richmond, Ky., work as registered nurses at the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington. Marguerite Jeanne Parker, ’95, Brandon, Fla., is working for the Shriners organization and attending Hillsborough Community College.

India Newsome Neal, ’96, Beaufort, S.C., is a registered occupational therapist providing home health services for Hilton Head Island and Bluffton, S.C. David Traud, ’96, and his wife Holli, ’95, reside in Germany where David is an active duty Army captain. Holli is employed with the U.S. Department of State, assigned to Frankfurt, Germany.

Greg Pond, ’96, Triadelphia, W.Va., has been presented with the Regional Science Achievement Award. He is an aquatic biologist in the EPA’s Wheeling office and was honored for his work with West Virginia’s Department of Environmental Protection to develop a wadeable stream index that would help diagnose potential causes of water quality problems. Elizabeth West Merida, ’96, Barbourville, Ky., teaches eighth grade at Knox County Middle School and co-sponsors the KCMS dance team.

Jennifer Lynn Shepherd, ’97, received a master’s degree in nursing with a specialty in clinical systems management from Excelsior College in Albany, N.Y., where she graduated summa cum laude in July 2007. She and her husband Michael have three children. Sandy Bryant Spencer, ’97, an advanced nurse practitioner, joined the permanent staff at the South East Alaska Regional Health Consortium’s Angoon Health Center as a mid-level provider.

Dr. William Stowman, ’98, Mechanicsburg, Pa., is chair of the Department of Music at Messiah College in Grantham, Pa. In April 2007, he received the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association Citation of Excellence, and in 2006 he was awarded the Robert and Marylin Smith Award for Excellence in Teaching at Messiah College.

Bill, who teaches trumpet at Messiah and directs the college’s two jazz ensembles, is a member of the board of directors for both the National Trumpet Competition and the Central Pennsylvania

Eastern 29

Class Acts

Friends of Jazz. He is also the conductor and music director of the Greater Harrisburg Concert Band and a clinician with Edwards Trumpets. Stephanie Henry, ’98, received the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching, sponsored by The Kentucky Post.

She teaches at Grant County Middle School. Jamie KingO’Shea, ’98, Richmond, Ky., took home her second consecutive win and third title in nine years from the Bluegrass 10K on July 4, 2007.

James Jaspers, ’98, and his wife Jennifer Brown Jaspers, ’00, reside in Owensboro, Ky. Jennifer is a physician relations coordinator for Owensboro Medical Health System, a rapidly growing regional health care provider. James owns A Step Above Landscapes, specializing in lawn care and landscaping.

Moriah R. Williams-Beck, ’99, and her husband James, ’99, St. Louis, Mo., received their Ph.D. degrees on May 18, 2007 from Washington University in St. Louis. Moriah was awarded a Lineberger Cancer Center Postdoctoral Fellowship to work at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and James accepted a postdoctoral position at Duke University. Alex Olimpo, ’99, Glenside, Pa., recently started a new job as senior loss control representative for Penn National Insurance. Christy Meade Hall, ’99, Crestwood, Ky., opened an interior design shop and participated in the 2007 Bellarmine University Designer’s Show House in September.

2000’s

David Scott Fields, ’00, ’07, Cynthiana, Ky., recently graduated with his second master’s degree in instructional leadership. He is a physical education and health teacher at Westside Elementary in Harrison County. Jessica Humphrey Hall, ’00, Georgetown, Ky., is pursuing her master’s degree in special education while working in Lexington. Drs. Charles Ben Palmer and Karen Wood Palmer, ’02, Greenville, S.C., graduated from Pikeville College School of Osteopathic Medicine in May 2007.

In June they began their residencies in obstetrics/gynecology and internal medicine, respectively, at Greenville Hospital Systems University Medical Center in Greenville, S.C. Michael Kidd, ’03,

30 Eastern

Atlanta, Ga., a Beta Theta Pi alumnus, has been promoted from account executive to team manager for TeleRep in the company’s Atlanta office. Samantha J. Rogers, ’03, Lexington, Ky., is the marketing coordinator at Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital.

Andrew R. Gamble, ’04, Lexington, Ky., has served as a technology specialist in the University of Kentucky IT department since November 2004. Eleanor Holston Ham, ’05, Lexington, Ky., served almost two years as the eastern district chair on the executive board for the Kentucky Occupational Therapy Association. She became certified in the administration and interpretation of the Sensory Integration and Praxis Test, presented at the 21st Annual Kentucky Parent Professional Conference, and completed her first year of clinical practice as a pediatric occupational therapist at Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital in Lexington. Eleanor recently accepted a position as an occupational therapist at Kidsplay Therapy Center, Inc. in Loganville, Ga. Jaclyn Badeau, ’05, Lexington, Ky., is a Certified Public Accountant.

She is a specialist in accounting and compliance services and a member of the tax-exempt team at Dean, Dorton & Ford. Jaclyn received the highest score in the Commonwealth on the auditing and attestation section of the CPA exam for the second quarter of 2006 and the financial accounting and reporting section for the third quarter of 2006. Sara Tyree Cornett, ’06, Berea, Ky., recently joined the Preston-Osborne team as an executive account assistant to the chief operating officer. She previously worked for Peoples Bank of Madison County and served as an intern in the public relations department at Berea College.

Her husband Danny, ’02, is a psychologist at Bluegrass Oakwood in Somerset, Ky. Chase Broach, ’06, Danville, Ky., followed in the footsteps of his father by joining the Danville Police Force.

ALUMNI Scrapbook

A sea of maroon washed over Lexington September 1 for the Colonel’s football season opener against the University of Kentucky Wildcats.

Nikki Combs, ’00, and Angie Partida, ’02, joined EKU in The Big Apple for a gathering of New York area alumni.

The 1950’s era Sweethearts of Sullivan Hall have gathered on campus each of the past six years for a reunion.

Front Row, left to right: Mickey Looney Bell, Barbara Scott Atwood, Elaine Patterson Young, Janet Warren Johnson, Judy Bickel Stephenson, Hope Hall McCreary, Barbara Ware Slade, Masil Allen Blythe. Second Row, left to right: Gail McKeehan Yost, Sara Dean Hance Anderson, Gail Siler Deshler, Joella Logan Wallen, Judy Murray Ellis, Susan Saxton Renkes, Janet Hibbard, Polly Morris Breeze, Janet Bradley Butler.

Newlyweds Deanna Mack, ’92, to Emery Lee, ’88, on July 28, 2007 Mark Aaron Bibelhauser, ’96, to Lisa Michelle O’Bryan on January 6, 2007 Jennifer Lynn Williams, ’97, to Michael Shepherd on June 12, 1998 Heather Riley, ’02, to Andrew Riley in 2005 Jennifer Leigh Sullivan, ’04, to Thad McCracken, ’05, in July 2006 Chastity Dawn Ison, ’05, to Kyle Rohan on February 17, 2007 Julie Dumbris, ’06, to Randy Cordray

Junior Alumni David Zaire to Beverly Bell Smalley, ’83, and Ray Smalley on April 20, 2007 Dariyan Alexis to Dennis Deweese, ’83, and Beth Deweese on February 12, 2007

Julia Faith to Jo Ann Mudd Blackburn, ’89, and Bill Blackburn on March 8, 2007 Cameron Christian to Rex Alexander, ’90, and Lana Rhuna Alexander on March 14, 2007 William James to Jeremy D. Bonfiglio, ’92, and Karyn Bonfiglio on April 26, 2007 Camden Brent Maxim, adopted from Kursk, Russia, by Kelley McCowan Tackett, ’93, ’95, and Jim Tackett, arrived home on March 16, 2006

William Layne to Jennifer Williams Shepherd, ’97, and Michael Shepherd on September 9, 2002

Amelia Claire to Jennifer Williams Shepherd, ’97, and Michael Shepherd on March 17, 2004

Evan Michael to Jennifer Williams Shepherd, ’97, and Michael Shepherd on April 7, 2007 Alex to Richard Peterson, ’97, and Cassie Chapman Peterson, ’99

Noah Anthony to Sheila Ann Jordan Portillo, ’94, and Anthony Portillo on December 21, 2006 Dylan Thomas to Richard Earl Zerbee, ’95, and Tara Zerbee, ’06, on March 1, 2007 Daniel Stone to Robin Simpson Kacmarcik, ’95, and Dave Kacmarcik on February 8, 2007 Hana Marie Webb to Christopher Kash, ’95, on November 2, 2006 Evan Grant to India Newsome Neal, ’96, and Frank A. Neal, Jr.

Erin Louise to Alex Olimpo, ’99, and Jennifer Olimpo on November 1, 2006 Clara Kate to Amanda Morgan Brumfield, ’00, and John Brumfield, ’97, on April 17, 2007 Noah to Jessica Humphrey Hall, ’00 John Alexander to Leslie Deaton Combs, ’00, ’02, and John Combs in August 2006 Dylan to Jeremy Clem, ’00, and Wendy Clem, ’01

Kaylee to David Scott Fields, ’00, ’07, and Starla Kay Fields on June 3, 2007 Breadon Deran to Nikki Willis Goode, ’00, and Remond Goode on May 22, 2007 Lauren to Elizabeth Garner Denniston, ’01, and Shannon Denniston on May 24, 2007 Reese Yann to Kasey Molohan Moreman, ’01, and Kevin Moreman on January 31, 2007

Ty William to Kimberly Schilling Jackson, ’02, and Scott Matthew Jackson, ’02, on April 18, 2007

Christian Thomas to Rebecca Quarles Roberts, ’02, and Tommy Roberts on May 1, 2007

Brinn Alexis to Heather Riley, ’02, and Andrew Riley on September 14, 2005 Ella Garriott to Marian Foree Stivers, ’04, and Ralph Wayne Stivers, Jr., ’04, on April 2, 2007

For the Record Don’t forget to keep us up-to-date with your latest news items—family additions, job changes, relocations, promotions—anything you’d like us to know! Include your photographs†, too.

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Eastern Kentucky University Magazine Telephone: 859/622-1260 Richards Alumni House, EKU E-mail: alumni.relations@eku.edu 521 Lancaster Avenue Richmond, KY 40475-3102 All submissions to Class Acts are edited for style and brevity. † Computer printouts cannot be accepted; please include a SASE for photo return. *Please include; this information will not be published.

Eastern 31

clAss Acts

Sagen to Charlotte Renee Chilton, ’04 Andrew David to Jennifer Hensley Roland, ’04, and David Roland, ’03, on February 24, 2007

if it Weren’t for Professors sweet and Blythe…

Brooklyn and Jayden to Kristi Harris, ’06, and Richard Harris on September 30, 2003 and October 10, 2005 Noah Daniel to John Paul Ramsay, ’06, and Kristin Ramsay, ’05, on May 21, 2007

In Memoriam Mary Elizabeth Walton Moore, ’44, on June 18, 2007 James D. Wert, ’52, on July 11, 2006 Martha Jean Prather Cox, ’53, on May 25, 2007 Robert D. Henderson, ’59, on June 11, 2007 Lawrence Richard “Frog” Redmond, ’61, in July 2007 Michael Sorrell, ’64, on February 16, 2007 Margaret “Sissy” Baldwin Samsel, ’70, on April 16, 2007 Randall K. Cooper, ’73, ’75, on May 28, 2006

Virginia Bailey Byrdwell, ’79, on June 3, 2006 Sandra Lynn Williams, ’80, on April 9, 2007 Melissa Eggen Mansfield, ’94, on May 15, 2007 Melanie Moore Wise, ’00, on April 25, 2007 Beverly Ann Curtis Matherly on May 8, 2007 Sarah Blanton Gerow on May 24, 2007 Robert “Mike” Deblasi on June 28, 2007 Denver Clayton “Dink” Qualls on June 14, 2007 Donna M. Kohler in 2004 Bonnie A. Shaw on April 13, 2007

32 Eastern

I enrolled in one of Dr. Charlie Sweet’s classes my sophomore year. I knew I was in trouble when I went home and showed my mother my classes. When she saw his name, the first thing she said was, “Dr. Sweet will be really good for you.” My first thought when she said that was, “Ugh!” Any time my mother said something was going to “be good for me,” I knew I was going to have to work really hard.

I did have to work hard in Dr. Sweet’s class and he was actually great for me. What exactly did he do? It was as if his enthusiasm and passion for teaching turned on a light switch in my brain and suddenly I had an enthusiasm for learning that was never there before. Was it Dr. Sweet personally? Was it timing? Was it both? It was probably both on some level, but I tend to think the majority of it was Dr. Sweet personally. He made learning fun.

The passion for learning that I developed in that class has remained with me all these years and has served me well. It has resulted in promotions, set me apart from my peers, and given me the opportunity to work with extremely successful people. I am amazed at how many people stop reading after they finish school. If they only knew what continuous learning would do for their careers!

After I left EKU, I completed my Master of Science in Social Work and now practice as a psychotherapist in Charlotte, N.C. Although I never had him for a professor (although he was the best Sunday school teacher I ever had), Dr. Hal Blythe told me on several occasions that one of my gifts was encouragement. Without knowing it, he had a profound effect on my decision to become a therapist. I love what I do, and I have an opportunity to practice this gift every day. I am more grateful to Dr. Sweet and Dr. Blythe than they can possibly imagine.

For the record, Bear Bryant was wrong [when he said alumni don’t tie to an English class].

Thank you, Dr. Sweet and Dr. Blythe, for reaching me. You have made a difference in my life.

—Donna R. Young, ‘89

In the End

Voice Recognition

V

oice, says Dr. Bruce MacLaren, is a good metaphor to describe what Eastern Kentucky University’s Honors Program strives to achieve. “When we’re at our best, we’re challenging students to have the confidence to think,” says the science professor of himself and his fellow Honors Program (HP) faculty. “We’re challenging them to provide an answer and defend it rather than simply recite a correct piece of information.” In other words, students are being challenged to find their voice.

For Dr. MacLaren, “voice” has been a consistent theme in his HP tenure. It was the collective voice of his friends and colleagues that led him to consider working with the program in the first place. Having joined the EKU faculty in 1969 during a period of rapid enrollment growth (from 3,000 to 13,000 students between 1960-76), Dr. MacLaren taught primarily required, general education science courses in stadium seating classrooms filled to capacity. Many of his friends, however, spoke of their students by name, and Dr. MacLaren desired the same relationship with his students. When the opportunity arose to teach in the fledgling Honors Program with its small class sizes and discussion-based curriculum, he jumped at the chance. “It turned out that in a short period of time, I was talking about my students by name, too,” he remembers.

Dr. MacLaren, however, has learned far more about his students than their names. “He has mentored many thesis students and many presentation panels, and has driven kids in the van to Quick Recall tournaments in places like Pippa Passes,” recalls Honors Program Director Dr. Bonnie Gray. He spends hours listening to them practice the presentations they are to make at national conferences so that they are polished and confident, and he travels throughout the country with them, accompanying them to museums, plays and historical sites.

“It allows me to see the world as if through the eyes of someone who hasn’t seen it before,” Dr. MacLaren says, admitting that he’s often as impressed with the sites as the students themselves. On one particular

trip, the group stayed in a hotel in which each room was lavishly furnished with very fine woods. The voice of one particular student jumps immediately to the professor’s mind: “A young man came through saying with wonder, ‘It’s not veneer!’ His mind was overwhelmed by the opulence, and mine was, too.”

From the students’ perspective, these types of experiences help them become less intimidated by the unfamiliar. For Dr. MacLaren, they inform his teaching. He puts the students’ often new-found confidence to work in the civilization courses and science seminars that he team teaches with fellow faculty members. For instance, a current study of the French Revolution positions the students as the National Convention responding to the opposing arguments of their professors, who assume the role of the monarchists.

“Ultimately, we are helping them learn self-defense with words,” explains Dr. MacLaren. “If we teach them to think, they can defend their claims.”

The lesson was put to good use during a Norfolk, Virginia, conference. The EKU HP students’ presentation explored ways in which some of today’s genetic engineering issues are reminiscent of the “scientific racism” developed in the 19th century, which centered around selective breeding. It proved so thought-provoking that one audience member met the group backstage for a lively but convivial, two-hour debate of the topic. “There was a sense in which we struck a chord, at least with her,” the soft-spoken professor smiles.

The experience supports Dr. MacLaren’s assertion that it isn’t necessarily course content that is important; it’s what students do with it. During the next 20 years, he anticipates that the content addressed in EKU’s Honors Program will change dramatically. What he hopes will be constant, however, is the teaching philosophy. When the next anniversary date rolls around, he hopes it will still find Eastern Kentucky University cultivating a chorus of student voices.